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Grell Sutcliff
Grell Sutcliff (グレル・サトクリフ, Gureru Satokurifu), sometimes romanized as "Grelle," is a Grim Reaper, who initially poses as Angelina Dalles's butler and conspires with her as Jack the Ripper. He is part of the Dispatch Management Division, and collecting souls is one of his top priorities. Appearance Grell as Angelina Dalles's butler is a bespectacled, meek, and slender man with green eyes. His brown hair is tied with a red ribbon, and he mostly dresses in simple, black clothes. However in his Grim Reaper form, Grell has long, dark red hair, shark-like teeth, and red-framed glasses which are accessorized with a neck chain containing skulls. His typical attire consists of a vest, gloves, red and white striped bow tie, and red and black high-heeled ankle boots. Additionally, he has a red coat that he confiscated from Angelina after fatally wounding her, which he slings off his shoulders and wears around his elbows. He is described as "covered in red."1 Grell has specially modified his Death Scythe to operate like a chainsaw, because he says the average Death Scythe is old-fashioned; he claims that his is of first-rate quality.2 Personality Grell, as Angelina Dalles's butler, is shy, awkward, and fairly ineffective at his job, ruining even simple things like preparing tea, and getting lost when driving a carriage.3 In the anime, whenever he messes something up, he has the tendency to overreact and attempt to commit suicide in a fit of melodramatic humiliation.4 As a Grim Reaper, however, Grell is over-the-top, flamboyant, and outspoken, as he tells Sebastian Michaelis that he wishes to do some "vigorous exercise" with him, despite the latter's repulsion.5He possesses a strong predilection for the color red, and believes that substances which reflect that color, such as fresh blood, can be used to achieve beauty.5 Furthermore, he is a ruthless, bloodthirsty individual that is willing to kill his own comrades once he loses interest in them.6 In his personal view, human relations are not of great significance, and hence he does not understand a human's reluctance in killing another he or she cares about; instead, he dismisses it as meaningless emotions that hinder and obscure one's goal.7 Grell is very fond of using double-entendres and incorporating plays in his speech. He often puts things in terms of theater, referring to Angelina's death as the "falling of curtains,"6 and comparing his conflicting Grim Reaper and demon relationship with Sebastian to the famous play, Romeo and Juliet.8 History When Angelina Dalles started the Jack the Ripper murders, Grell followed her since she was the reason for the death list being so filled. He sympathized with her, as he could relate to her troubles—the incapacity of giving birth—and opted to help her, even if it defied the Grim Reaper's code of neutrality. Grell, then, disguised himself as the Barnett family's butler to avoid suspicion.9 Manga's Synopsis Jack the Ripper Arc Grell Sutcliff is with Angelina Dalles, his mistress, and Lau in Ciel Phantomhive's London townhouse, searching for tea.10 He accompanies Ciel, Sebastian Michaelis, Lau, and Angelina while they gather information on Jack the Ripper.11 He later attends Aleister Chamber's party with them, where he briefly leaves in order to commit another murder.12 Afterward, Grell, in Mary Jane Kelly's house, barbarically kills her, to which when Ciel and Sebastian enter the scene, Sebastian comments that it is an excessive murder as blood has splattered all over the floor. Grell comes up with a feeble excuse for being there, despite being covered in the prostitute's blood. Challenged by Sebastian, Grell discloses that he is a Grim Reaper. When he is questioned why he has broken the Grim Reaper code of neutrality, he replies that he was captivated by a "certain woman."1314 Grell instigates a confrontation with Sebastian, using his Death Scythe. He claims that his Death Scythe can slice through anything, and sadistically trifles with Sebastian, stating that he desires to tear up his body to "its deepest core." He adds that he loves the color red and enjoys using fresh blood to do makeup for ugly women. Sebastian points out Grell's violation of the Grim Reaper rules and deems his butler principles as sickening, and Grell remarks that he is at least the "butler of death."15 Their battle continues, and Grell inflicts a small slash on Sebastian's left arm, revealing a brief Cinematic Record of Sebastian's past and his first encounter with Ciel. Grell explains the general purpose of a Cinematic Record, that is to relive memories for assessment, and Sebastian deprecatingly regards the "spying activity" as a terrible interest.16 At this point, Grell has Sebastian pinned against the wall. However, when Ciel's life is endangered, Sebastian rushes off, in spite of Grell's Death Scythe which deals a considerable wound to his arm.17 He comments that Sebastian has commendable endurance, and then orders Angelina to kill Ciel. He notices her hesitation, and insists that she carries out the task. When she announces that she cannot because she views Ciel as her own son, he is gravelly disappointed, and stabs her in the chest with his Death Scythe. He denounces her as an "ordinary woman," and complains that he has gone through great lengths to aid her, but was uncompensated. He removes the red coat from her corpse, proclaiming that she is not fit to wear red.1819 Grell turns to leave, but Ciel orders Sebastian to kill him. They proceed to battle, and to his anger, Sebastian intentionally aims for his face. Grell asks if Sebastian is afraid to perish once critically hit by his Death Scythe, but the latter asserts that he is not. They resume fighting, and Grell states that a demon and a Grim Reaper are unable to reach a mutual understanding; thus, their relationship is like the "tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet." Grell smashes Sebastian's forehead with his own, and then delivers a strong, upward slash across his chest.20 Much to his dismay, he perceives a rather mundane Cinematic Record that consists of Sebastian's life as a Phantomhive butler.21 Subsequently, they attempt to end the battle with the following blow, but Sebastian has cunningly used a shred of his ruined, woolen tailcoat to jam Grell's Death Scythe. He pummels Grell in the face, ignoring the victim's pleas to spare it. However, before Sebastian can kill him with his own weapon, William T. Spears intervenes. William lands on Grell's head, and lists off all of the rules that Grell has transgressed. He grudgingly apologizes to Sebastian, retrieves Grell's Death Scythe, and drags Grell away by the hair.22 Noah's Ark Circus Arc After Baron Kelvin's manor is set on fire, the Grim Reapers are assigned various tasks. As noted by Ronald Knox, Grell is given a mission relating to the Phantomhive family, which he is very excited about.23 Ship Voyage Arc At the moment before the ship Campania crashes, Grell stands on an iceberg, indicating that he was the other Grim Reaper who was assigned to gather souls and investigate the Bizarre Dolls together with Ronald Knox. He lands on the ship and begins to slash passengers in order to collect souls. He meets with Ronald and they start to work together.24 During their conversation in the first class front hallway, a Bizarre Doll on a carriage appears, and Grell swiftly annihilates it.25 They make their way to the boiler room by creating holes on floors to drop through them, hence a quicker means of travel. They coincidentally meet Ciel andElizabeth, who have just made their way out from the duct, and Sebastian, who has contemporaneously reached them. Grell is excited in encountering Sebastian and engages in a battle with him. During the fight, Grell accidentally slashes a window with his Death Scythe, allowing for water to rapidly enter the ship.26 After a brief intervention with Elizabeth intending to attack Grell, Grell continues his fight with Sebastian. However, as soon as he and Ronald discover that they can learn more about the Bizarre Dolls from Rian Stoker, they depart and and head to find Rian.27 Grell rescues Rian when he falls, and he asks for an effective method to stop the Bizarre Dolls. Rian leads the way to his room where the device to stop them is supposedly situated. When they discover that it has disappeared, Rian guides Grell and Ronald to who he presumes has took it. The presupposition turns out to be accurate, as they discern that it is the Aleister Chamber who possesses the device. Soon, Grell and the others find out that Ciel and Sebastian are with Aleister as well. In order to make him turn the device on, all of them are forced by Aleister to perform his modified version of the Phoenix pose. Afterward, Aleister turns on the device, but when it does not work, Grell is infur iated and rushes to kill Aleister. Undertaker intervenes, and Grell notes his yellow-green eyes.28 Undertaker explains how the Bizarre Dolls work and the manipulation of Cinematic Records, much to Grell's surprise. Undertaker implies that the Campania was merely a test to see how effective the Bizarre Dolls were. Grell and Ronald decide to apprehend Undertaker, and the former adds that he can never forgive Undertaker for injuring his face.29 Grell goes to attack him, but is easily blocked. Ronald also tries, but is blocked by Sebastian, who is then yelled at by Grell. He is told that Sebastian and Ciel need to capture Undertaker into custody as well, and they tell each other to stay out of their respective businesses. Grell, Ronald and Sebastian then attack Undertaker simultaneously.30 Undertaker comments that all Grim Reapers are very nearsighted, and Grell points out that he must then be at a disadvantage.31 Undertaker blocks his onslaught, but this time Grell’s Death Scythe cuts thought his sotoba. Grell is bemused by that possibility, recalling that he was not able to cut it before. While he is thrown off balance, Ronald attempts to lunge at Undertaker, but the latter steals and throws his glasses. Grell catches them and throws them back, but Sebastian knocks them away. After Ronald retrieves his glasses, they note that the ship is tilting heavily, so they decide to attack Undertaker directly, but Undertaker deflects their onsets. Grell is astounded that his Death Scythe cannot cut the sotoba, and Undertaker remarks that the theory of how a Death Scythe can cut everything is strange as there is one thing that it cannot cut. Undertaker then slices them both, and they suffer from abominable wounds.32 Subsequently, the dire slope of the sinking ship causes Rian to fall to his death. Grell immediately processes his soul, stating the days of his birth and death. He tells Sebastian that they do not have much time and that he will take Undertaker.33 He fights with Undertaker, who remembers that Grell was Madam Red’s butler. Grell is about to swing at Undertaker when Sebastian hurls Ronald at him, sending him into the wall.34 Water rushes in, and Undertaker decides to leave. Grell and Sebastian assail concurrently, causing him to drop his chain of lockets.35 Undertaker escapes after splitting the ship into two, and an unconscious Grell floats face-down in the water. He is grabbed from the water by William, who tosses him into a small boat and on top of Ronald, who he had also saved. After William stomps their faces, they both wake up. William denies Grell's attempt to engage onto him, and Grell falls back into the water. He soon returns to the boat, and William instructs him to finish collecting souls and to file a report about the "violator".36